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Does age matter in the social care workforce?
- Authors:
- LIPMAN Valerie, MANTHORPE Jill, HARRIS Jess
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Long-Term Care, September 2018, pp.1-11. Online only
- Publisher:
- King's College London
- Place of publication:
- London
Context: With the population in England ageing, more people are living with complex physical and mental health needs and need care and support. As a result demand for care workers is increasing. Objective: This paper presents findings from qualitative research in England that aimed to explore the perspectives of frontline care workers, their managers and service users about what difference the age of the care workforce potentially makes at an individual, organisational or workforce level. Method: Interviews, semi-structured and face to face, in four local authority sites in England. Findings: Age plays a role in the perceived character of the care workforce. A commonly-held view is that life experience is one of the most valuable qualities a care worker brings to their role. While experience is generally valued, it may be framed as experience in care work, or more generally as life experience. Younger care workers may be often seen by older colleagues and service users as less reliable until they prove themselves. However, managers often identify enthusiasm and ability to accommodate change among younger care staff. Managers are interested in having an ‘age mix’ of staff beyond retention and sustainability issues. Limitations: The authors acknowledge the risk that the interview data may not be generalisable or totally representative of staff or care users; the study did not include directly employed care workers nor collect health-related information or personal narratives. Those employers who agreed to participate may be more committed to workforce development and value their staff. Nonetheless data are sector-wide and there are sizeable numbers of participants. Moreover, the views of users of social care and family carers are also included. Implications: The article provides views from a range of stakeholders in social care on whether age matters in this workforce. Instances of age discrimination or stereotypes affecting different ages were reported but also the opportunities in social care work for people to work in later life and to move to this work after other work or family experiences. The age of the social care workforce needs to be considered as part of workforce planning, tailoring skills development and value-based work commitment among all age groups, reducing physical demands, and providing flexible working conditions. (Edited publisher abstract)
The present retirement crisis and how social workers can respond
- Authors:
- MILLER David B., HOKENSTAD M.Terry, BERG Kristen
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 60(5), 2017, pp.395-407.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
Research on Americans’ retirement readiness indicates a wide range of preparedness for the golden years. Called a “crisis” by researchers, retirement for some may include significant choices: continued employment or utilisation of social welfare services. This article describes factors contributing to the retirement crisis and roles social workers can play in assisting older retirees. Disparity in household retirement savings exists by ethnicity. On the front lines serving ageing individuals and their families, social work professionals are well situated to collaborate with individuals, and other providers, to address financial, social and emotional pillars necessary in facilitating a safe and secure retirement. (Edited publisher abstract)
Exploring the Care Act’s potential for anti-discriminatory practice with lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans older people
- Author:
- CROSSLAND John
- Journal article citation:
- Quality in Ageing and Older Adults, 17(2), 2016, pp.97-106.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Purpose: The planning and provision of care for older people in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) communities is an increasing challenge to traditional welfare systems. The purpose of this paper is to explore the potential of the newly implemented Care Act 2014 in England for developing an anti-discriminatory approach. Design/methodology/approach: The review draws on existing research and conceptual literature to identify how key provisions of the new act can be interpreted in light of current knowledge. Findings: Overall the provisions of the Care Act lend themselves well to positive interpretation in relation to the needs of older LGBT people and their support networks. A potential tension, however, arises in the locality focus of the legislation that could constrain good practice with geographically dispersed communities. There is also a need to challenge both heteronormative and ageist assumptions that lead to older LGBT people remaining unrecognised. Practical implications: Applied with imagination and commitment, the provisions of the new act could enable new forms of person-centred care to emerge to support older LGBT people. Social implications: Social workers are in a key position to influence how the Care Act is interpreted and applied in practice and can act as change agents for a societal move towards older LGBT people having greater choice and control over their well-being. (Edited publisher abstract)
The age of opportunity? Revisiting assumptions about the life-long learning opportunities of older people using social care services
- Author:
- HAFFORD-LETCHFIELD Trish
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Social Work, 40(2), March 2010, pp.496-512.
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
Shifting national policy in the UK emphasises choice, independence and social inclusion for older people using social care services through the promotion of healthy, active lifestyles and increasing user involvement. In early 2008, the government launched a national enquiry on the future of informal adult learning, revisiting debates around the nature of life-long learning of older people. Until recently, the literature on life-long learning and social care largely ignored each other in relation to implications for service provision. This paper makes links between discourses on life-long learning within public policy with those in social care. Both are concerned with increasing participation, citizenship and social justice for older people. It highlights contradictions between aspirations towards life-long learning derived from Freirean approaches seeking to promote ‘active ageing’ with negative political rhetoric about the burden of ageing and practice of managed care. Social workers play an important part in facilitating learning opportunities within their relationships with older people. Where and how these might be used to promote more inclusive strategies and approaches within practice for the engagement and further emancipation of service users is explored.
Professionalized through audit? Care workers and the new audit regime in Sweden
- Authors:
- MOBERG Linda, BLOMQVIST Paula, WINBLAD Ulrika
- Journal article citation:
- Social Policy and Administration, 52(3), 2018, pp.631-645.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
The professionalisation of social care workers is a policy goal in many welfare states. At the same time, professionalisation risks being undermined by enhanced audit. The objective of this article is to analyse whether the audit processes adopted in Swedish eldercare and childcare support or undermine the professionalisation of the occupations working there, i.e., nurses, nursing assistants, preschool teachers, and preschool assistants. In particular, we investigate whether the three main forms of audit—standard‐setting, inspections, and quality measurements—support or undermine the occupations’ ability to achieve professional closure and enhance their external and internal autonomy. The findings suggest that audit processes in eldercare risk undermining professionalisation, while in childcare the pattern is reversed: audit appears supportive of professionalisation, at least for preschool teachers. This finding suggests that audit processes do not have to be detrimental to professionalisation. (Edited publisher abstract)
A social work perspective on how ageist language, discourses and understandings negatively frame older people and why taking a critical social work stance is essential
- Author:
- DUFFY Francis
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Social Work, 47(7), 2017, pp.2068-2085.
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
As populations age around the globe, social workers will have more and more contact with older people, particularly in the practice fields of health care and social care services. Language and dominant discourses associated with older people and ageing in politics, in the media and other institutions are often underpinned by ageism and fail to convey accurate accounts and understandings of ageing issues. In response to how this pervasive ageism plays out in health care and social care services practice settings, this paper argues that all social workers urgently ought to move beyond conventional social work, which is most dominant in practice, and embrace more aspects of critical social work in relation to ageing societies and working with older people. This is necessary to identify, critique and challenge ill-informed and oppressive language, labels and discourses used to describe older people and explain ageing issues. Embedding gerontological social work as core learning in social work education is essential to social work achieving what is required to achieve these goals. (Publisher abstract)
'They're all depressed, aren't they?' A qualitative study of social care workers and depression in older adults
- Authors:
- MCCRAE N., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 9(6), November 2005, pp.508-516.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Statutory and voluntary social services provide care and support for vast numbers of vulnerable older adults, yet little is known about how social care practitioners respond to depression in this high risk population. This study elicited the perceptions and conceptualizations of this condition among social care staff, and views on how the response of social care and other agencies might be improved. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 20 social care practitioners working in generic services for older adults in south London. Depression was perceived to be remarkably common among clients, a phenomenon largely attributed to the adverse circumstances of old age, particularly social isolation. A key message from participants was that social causes indicate a need for social interventions. While primary care was criticised for not taking depression seriously in older people, mental health services were generally praised. Expansion of social, recreational and psychological interventions was advocated.
Housing and self-neglect: the responses of health, social care and environmental health agencies
- Authors:
- LAUDER William, ANDERSON Isobel, BARCLAY Aileen
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Interprofessional Care, 19(3), June 2005, pp.317-325.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Substantiated cases of elder self-neglect have been reported to be more common than either elder abuse or neglect. It is a problem that often requires the active involvement of a whole range of health, social, housing, police and voluntary agencies. The ways in which these various agencies respond to self-neglect and how they interact with one another is not known. This research explored the ways in which different health and social care organizations respond to the problems associated with self-neglect. Research methods involved qualitative in-depth interviews with housing, healthcare, environmental health and social workers and a sample of their clients who were described as living in self-neglecting circumstances. This study revealed a lack of joint working across the relevant professions in relation to self-neglect. Better co-ordinated intervention could improve effectiveness and help make available resources go further. The study also suggests a need for a preventative approach to self-neglect, although further work would be required to develop indicators for early intervention.
Interprofessional collaboration in Swedish health and social care from a care manager's perspective
- Authors:
- DUNER Anna, WOLMESJO Maria
- Journal article citation:
- European Journal of Social Work, 18(3), 2015, pp.354-369.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
The aim of this study was to study interprofessional collaboration in health and social care for older people and persons with disabilities from a care manager's perspective. The empirical data was collected at a workshop held during a national conference for care managers and through focus group interviews in two Swedish municipalities. The results showed that the care managers collaborated in different ways with many different professionals from different organisations. The care and discharge planning meetings emerged as the most typical situation where care managers collaborated with different health care professionals. Interprofessional collaboration was seen as a means for care managers to fulfil their assignment and carry out their work. The care manager role encompassed role strain, a relatively weak professional identity, and differences in professional status among those involved in interprofessional collaboration. (Publisher abstract)
Social care: choosing the right service for you: 2008 edition
- Author:
- COMMISSION FOR SOCIAL CARE INSPECTION
- Publisher:
- Commission for Social Care Inspection
- Publication year:
- 2008
- Pagination:
- 20p.
- Place of publication:
- London
- Edition:
- 2nd ed.
This booklet has been updated for 2008. It gives advice and encourages people to ask the right questions and find out as much as possible about their options when choosing social care services. It was written with direct help from people who use services, local councils and social care professionals. It includes pointers to other sources of information on areas such as financial advice, disability services and benefits.